Ram Horn Manifold - Any Reason To Change?

[ebry710]

I have thought of headers on my second engine, but ram horn manifolds seen to do what I want which is gain access to plugs while ending sharpe turns in the manifold.
Is there much of a power loss by using the ram horns?
Is my reasoning correct?

[71meangreenc10]

I like them......

Smitty

[msgross]

I have heard tons of stories about headers leaking... they also have corvette 2.5" ramhorns if you need more flow...

[Kerry P]

About 25 years ago (or so) I saw a magazine dyno test. If I remember correctly the Rams Horn cast manifolds were better than most headers to about 2500 rpm on a typical 350 CID street engine.

Kerry P

[Andy4639]

I have been running the Corvette horns for the extra flow. They are also easier to mount the extra's on also. A/C alternator.
Headers you have to use spacers and other stuff to have them work. They leak, break turn color's and are a hell of a time getting the plugs out and back in plus they burn up spark plug wires pretty quickly!

[67_C-30]

I would not take the ram horns off for headers unless it was a race vehicle. The only headers I would put on a daily driver is one with 3/8" or thicker flanges and ball and socket collectors. However, these are so expensive, I can't justify the cost for so little gain. You could not give me a set of regular headers with the standard 3 bolt collectors for daily driver...

[Stocker]

I'd run headers on a high-horsepower, high-rpm engine.... for anything else, ramhorns, especially on a streetable torquey truck engine.

[big mike71]

I like my headers they look good and sound good. I don't about horsepower gains or losses.

[cparman]

Rams horns are almost zero maintenance, and like Andy said are easier to mount accessories.

[R.L.]

Ram horns are the way to go on most vehicles.

[raycow]

I have ram's horns on my 60 and I wouldn't run anything else on a daily driver.

Ray

[scooterskoolkustoms]

rams horns are the next best thing to headers.

[GASoline71]

For a bone stocker or a mild build... The Ram-horn manifolds are great.

Gary

[Stocker]

I might as well confess -- back in the late sixties, I put a set of Hooker equal-length headers on my '65 Corvette roadster and I discarded the 2.5" ram horns. The car had a 327/365HP engine with a factory redline at 6500 rpm, which it could easily do in 4th gear -- a strong, lively engine. I never timed it, but it sure felt stronger with the Hookers.... and with solid lifters, it sounded fantastic!

Now I'm older and my K20 is no Corvette.... so no headers for this truck.

[Ticker]

Rams-horn manifolds are going to give up about 5-10% HP/TQ and 1-2 MPG even on a mild engine to a decent set of headers. Properly installed they're trouble-free and quiet.

[GMCBubba]

that's funny, in the engine and drivetrain forum, i asked this same question about my "mild" 383 and everyone said to use the cheap flowtech headers i have instead of sticking with the rams. okay, not *everyone* but there wasn't much rams support.

[llowlife]

Depends on what you are looking for...I love my headers (3/8 flange / ball and socket collector) but the rams horn manifolds are pretty ez to maintain. Back when we ran a street stock I cut a set of rams in half and augered them out. Welded em back together, ground the welds and threw them out in the rain for a season before running them. They made a noticeable difference in power over the stock rams but these were built motors. Still got about 15 sets of them. Sometimes they shrink a little which makes it enjoyable to get them back on without reaming the outside holes a bit though.

[ZKinZ]

The guy who did my exhaust builds street rods and drag cars. I was going to put headers on when I got the new exhaust and he said that unless I'm planning on racing the truck, I'd be wasting my money and that I probably wouldn't notice a difference driving it on the street. I don't have a basis for comparison, but I think he probably knows what he's talking about.

[oldgold70c10]

If you'd rather be spending time driving your truck instead of tightening header bolts and changing burned wires, stick with the ramshorns. They look cool too, IMHO.

[Ticker]

Not to be , but you will absolutely notice a 5-10% increase in power on the street.

It's an age-old debate that probably (?) isn't going to be solved here

Headers = more power, more maintenence, medium to high effort for installation.
Manifolds = less power, zero maintenence, usually zero effort for installation.

Manifolds start to really hurt power at about 1 HP/CID - anything over that, and you're wasting money.

Header maintenence can be reduced with quality headers, good gaskets, the right bolts and careful wiring routing.

In the end, you gotta decide where your priorities are

['72customdeluxe]

Originally Posted by ZKinZ

The guy who did my exhaust builds street rods and drag cars. I was going to put headers on when I got the new exhaust and he said that unless I'm planning on racing the truck, I'd be wasting my money and that I probably wouldn't notice a difference driving it on the street. I don't have a basis for comparison, but I think he probably knows what he's talking about.

I've had both on two different 350's, he doesn't. With copper gaskets they don't leak, plug access is much improved, and no wires are near the headers going over the valve covers. If you lose torque, tune the thing..
Reboxed flowtech ceramics from summit. One of my manifolds broke (on both trucks) and it was cheaper to just get headers
Posted via Mobile Device

[InkedinRI]

i have ram horns on my truck with flow masters. sounds good. here is a video

YouTube - My 1968 chevy C10 at an idle

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by GMCBubba

that's funny, in the engine and drivetrain forum, i asked this same question about my "mild" 383 and everyone said to use the cheap flowtech headers i have instead of sticking with the rams. okay, not *everyone* but there wasn't much rams support.

All those guys are or used to be "hot rodders!"

Years ago I took my rams off on my 69 with a 350 and installed shorty headers on it. It was a daily driver and other than the sound I didn't see much difference in the way it drove. I went back to the rams horn because I wanted to tone it down some.

[Gene]

Have had rams horns and headers on my engine (mild 350). I'm going back to rams horns, absolutely no difference at the seat from one to another, I dont care what anyone says, I know I felt no difference. And yes they were a decent set of headers.

[m6z]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

I would not take the ram horns off for headers unless it was a race vehicle. The only headers I would put on a daily driver is one with 3/8" or thicker flanges and ball and socket collectors. However, these are so expensive, I can't justify the cost for so little gain. You could not give me a set of regular headers with the standard 3 bolt collectors for daily driver...

+1

If you're going to run headers pony up the money to buy quality ones with thick flanges or you will be chaseing leaks all the time.